It began when police officers saw a man standing on the side of a busy Modesto road, holding a poster-size sign asking for "funeral donations."

Down the road, another man and woman had similar signs with the words “God bless,” and "please help" next to a photo of an infant.

Police said Mark Barajas, 35, was standing near the intersection of Sisk Road and Briggsmore Avenue just after noon Tuesday. Nearby, 26-year-old Janie Barajas and 37-year-old Lisa Barajas were standing in the center median island holding the signs.

The officers saw the woman walking and collecting money from passing motorists as they waited for green lights.

Due to the traffic hazard, the officers asked them about the infant depicted in the posters.

At first, the three suspects told officers they were raising money to help pay for the funeral of an infant who died in Mexico.

Officers said that they later learned the trio was not being truthful.

Police said the group had come to Modesto from Fresno to collect money.

Investigators said they determined that the pictures were taken from the Internet and that the group had been in Modesto on Monday as well soliciting money.

Other photos, depicting a toddler, were also located in the truck of one of the suspects.

On Tuesday, the trio had collected about $400 from generous Modesto motorists.